Seems like old times: JFK High School alums, ESPN colleagues Levy, Schefter honored as HOF inductees

One is strictly all about the NFL. The other leans toward pucks. One literally works “set” hours. The other is virtually on call 24/7. And while one has authored four NFL-related books, the other has appeared as himself in four movies.

Saturday night in Baldwin, N.Y., two ESPN personalities and seven other John F. Kennedy High School alumni were among the honorees at the Hall of Fame & Cougar Nation Wall of Honor Induction Ceremony and Dinner.

Interestingly, ESPN anchor Steve Levy (Class of 1983) and NFL reporter Adam Schefter (Class of 1985) didn’t know each other during their days at the Long Island high school. But they now roam the same campus in Bristol, Conn.

Schefter also admits to not knowing any of the other seven inductees while in school (although he’s well aware of their accomplishments now), while Levy said, “It was the first time I met [JFK alum and PAC-12 Commissioner] Larry Scott (Class of 1982).”

It was not, however, the first time Levy and Schefter returned to their alma mater together.

“Steve and I both went back in March to do a seminar on life in the TV business,” Schefter said. “We spoke to students and faculty there for a couple of hours — it was well attended and a lot of fun.”

That effort fits the criteria Saturday’s honorees had to meet, according to the school’s Hall Of Fame voters: Honorees have “. . . demonstrat(ed) success in both their personal and professional careers. . . (and) each one of them has given back to the local or global community.”

It was also pointed out to dinner attendees that Levy is the “Winner of three Emmy Awards for his role on SportsCenter,” and Schefter was named in the Sports Illustrated ‘Power 40’ as one of the NFL’s most influential people.”

“It was a great night to share with my family and friends,” Levy said. “I had my folks and my wife there, and we brought our 2-1/2-year-old daughter, Harper. I wanted her to be there so hopefully she would remember the night her dad was honored, because it was most likely the last Hall of Fame I would be getting inducted into, unlike Adam who’ll likely be enshrined in Canton one day.”